Effects of exercise on gene expression in the central nervous system

Abstract

Evidence obtained from experimental animal research indicates that physical activity alters gene expression in the central nervous system. The primary method that is used by exercise neuroscientists to measure gene expression is in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH). This method can be used to measure the level of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) located in specific regions of the central nervous system, thus providing an indication of the level of gene expression. ISHH has been widely adopted by investigators interested in characterizing the exercise‐induced alterations in gene expression for various neuroactive peptides, such as brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and galanin, as well as enzymes important in the synthesis of other small molecule neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine. Recently, newer techniques, such as real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and microarray analysis, have been adopted. The purposes of this paper are to provide an overview of the techniques used to examine the exercise‐induced alterations in gene expression, highlight the current status of the research, and provide suggestions for future research